Folding legs for articles of furniture



Sept. 30 1924. 1,510,171

F. G. HEARD FOLDING LEGS FOR ARTICLES OF FURNITURE Filed March s, 5922 gyv T \e 3 l:l \7;z m7

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Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES FREDERICK GEORGE HEARD, F ILFORD, ENGLAND.

FOLDING LEGS FOR ARTICLES OE FURNITURE.

Application iiled March 8, 1922. Serial No. 541,932.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK GEORGE HEARD, of Ilford, England, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Legs for Articles of Furniture, of which the following is a speciiication.

rIhis invention relates to foldable articles of furniture, and more particularly to folding tables, the object of the invention being to provide means whereby the table may be carried in the same manner as a tray and which can readily be folded and unfolded without the operator removing his hands from the carrying means.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a foldable table in unfolded position, embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the table shown in Fig. l, in folded position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of said table;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a foldable table illustrating a modified form of bracing link; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional side view of a table similar to that shown in Fig. 4, illustrating the leg approximately half way between its folded and unfolded positions.

The same characters of reference designate the same parts in the different figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, a designates a table top, to the underside of which are pivoted adjacent to each extreme end edge thereof a pair of links c, the links of lthe respective pairs being connected together by a cross bar g, whereby, when the table is in collapsed condition as shown in Fig. 3, the bars g will be clear of the table top and form handles or gripping means by which the table can be conveniently carried. Each link c is pivotally connected at its free end to the upper end of a leg b, as indicated at m, said legs being connected in pairs by means of a cross bar i. Each leg has pivotally connected thereto one end of a bracing link eZ the opposite end of which is pivoted to the underside of the table, the positions of the connecting points e and f of the bracing links with the legs and table respectively being chosen so as to permit the legs to be folded flat beneath the table top. In Figs. l and 2 the bracing links at one side of the table are shown intersecting or crossing each other; that is, one end of each bracing link is pivoted near one end of the table top, and the opposite end of the link` is pivoted to the leg disposed beneath the opposite end of the table top. In Figs. 4 and 5, the bracing links are shown shorter than those in Figs. 1 and 2, and each connected to a leg at the same end of the table top nearest to the point where the link is pivoted to the top.

The operation of folding and unfolding the table is very simple. Assuming the table to be in the open position shown in Figs. l and 4, at which time the links o lie beneath the table top in a plane parallel therewith, all that is necessary is for the operator to reach under the ends of the table top and grasp the bar g at each end and move it through the semicircular course indicated by the arrow a: shown in Figs. 1 and 4, which movement will carry the pivot e connecting the bracing link with the leg through the curved path indicated by the arrow y, thus causing the legs to lie flat against the underside of the table top, while the links c extend beyond the table top and in approximately the same horizontal plane, whereby the bars g are clear of the top and form convenient handles for permitting the table to be carried. In order to resist any tendency for the links c to move through an angle greater than 180", each link is formed with a shoulder It which, when the links are in alinement with the table top, will abut against the end edges of said top and positively prevent further movement of the links, thus avoiding strain on the pivots of the bracing links d and permitting the legs to lie flat against the table top. For unfolding the table, the cross bars are grasped and moved through the path in the reverse direction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A foldable table, comprising a top, a pair of links at each end of said top, said links being pivoted at the underside of the top adjacent to the extreme ends thereof and adapted to be swung through an angle of 180o Whereb57 the links may lie in e plane parallel with the top and below the latter or in a plane in alineinentl with said top, a cross bar connecting the members oi' each pair of links and adapted to extend beyond the top when the links are in alinement with said top, a leg pii/oted to ezieh of the links and movable therewith, :ind :i bracing link 10 pivoted to eueh of said legs and to the table top.

In testimony whereof l here signed my naine to Jhis specification.

FREDERICK GEORGE HEARD. 

